I am checking to see if anyone has any experience with a TopCon RL100s dual slope, self leveling laser. I have owned one since August of '09. I bought it to replace an old CST LM 400 (also a dual slope, self leveling laser) that kept giving me trouble. The CST lasted 8 years so I can't really complain. I bought a David White, as a second level, and it was the same thing with a different cover. It has also been a good laser (I don't like that they are Chinese made though) but it goes through a lot of batteries. Anyway, when the CST gave up the ghost I decided to spend the money on a higher end unit. I decided to check on the Spectra Precision, and TopCon. I have a freind who has been using TopCon for years and he swears by them. I thought that the RL-h3 could be the right unit for me. I decided to contact my closest TopCon dealer (Rocky Mountain Lasers-6 hours away) to get more info. and pricing. The sales rep recommended the RL100s. The price was around $3500. I told him about the Spectra I was also looking at(had roughly the same features), and told him about the cost I found on the internet. He said that he would try to beat up his rep and get me to the competitions number. He came back with a great number and I bought it thinking I was getting a good deal on a superior product. The level has been good accept that every winter it keeps shutting down and throwing E-82 & E-83 codes. I have sent the unit back (RML is great about shipping loaners out) to get the problem corrected. They can't figure out what is wrong. They say that the engineers in Japan can't figure it out either. Even the loaner they gave me was doing the same thing. The last thing they said, when they sent it back to me without fixing anything, was that if it did it again they would give me another one. This was last winter. We had no issues all summer long. Here we are in winter and it started acting up again. Now it's a year later and I doubt they will want to give me a new one now. Even if they do I'm not sure if it will be any better (remember that the loaner unit was doing the same thing) than the one I already have. BTW I have tried to use the TopCon in very cold temps and it would not come on. The David White did. Same day. Same job. Same time. Same temps. Half price. I spent some good money on this unit (even at a heavy discount) and I would like it to be a superior product. It does have some great features and it feels as if it is of superior quality. These gremlins are making me wonder. I may just need to call the dealer and see what they can do about it. Maybe now there are enough units out there that they have been able to get good feedback and have made some up grades.
Yes it is a long post but I felt the information may be useful to others in the market for a laser. I would like to hear form other users of the RL100s. Are you experiencing the same issues that I am?
Yes it is a long post but I felt the information may be useful to others in the market for a laser. I would like to hear form other users of the RL100s. Are you experiencing the same issues that I am?
Last edited:
